The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Brandon M. Silk, 25, of Orono, Maine, died June 21 of injuries sustained when the helicopter in which he was travelling made a hard landing. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Are we so complacent about life right now? Because there is no draft, we don't necessarily have to worry that our son, daughter, grandson, etc might have to go to war.

I'm so angry with those in power. We elected those who said they would end the war - yeah, right

I agree completely with you Grace - both on disappointment with those elected to end the war and why we are so complacent. I think bring back the draft - for young men and young women and you would see a different attitude.

One doesn't have to be a "military expert" to see a difference in wars. What would a "win" look like in Iraq or Afghanistan? The same with Vietnam. In WWII - victory - the objective was clearly defined - end the Nazi regime and defeat Japan. We knew where we were going and so could know how to get there.

When the "victory" is ill-defined or undefined - how do you get there?

War, business, education - you name it. You have to know the destination.

The Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of seven servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

On May 23, 1944, the men were aboard a C-47A Skytrain that departed Dinjan, India, on an airdrop mission to resupply Allied forces near Myitkyina, Burma. When the crew failed to return, air and ground searches found no evidence of the aircraft along the intended flight path.

In late 2002, a missionary provided U.S. officials a data plate from a C-47 crash site approximately 31 miles northwest of Myitkyina. In 2003, a Burmese citizen turned over human remains and identification tags for three of the crew members.

A Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command team excavated the crash site in 2003 and 2004, recovering additional remains and crew-related equipment—including an identification tag for Dawson.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of some of the crewmembers’ families – as well as dental comparisons in the identification of the remains.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pfc. Ryan J. Grady, 25, of Bristow, Okla., died July 1 at Bagram, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised-explosive device. He was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Bradford, Vt.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Capt David A. Wisniewski, 31, of Moville, Iowa, died July 2 of wounds sustained June 9 in a helicopter crash near Forward Operating Base Jackson, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 66th Rescue Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.